Blessed is the Blind
by LuckyLadybug
Summary: Oneshot. Sephiroth is not pleased to hear of the events in Something Wicked This Way Comes. Meanwhile, Genesis speaks with Dalton.


**Final Fantasy VII**

**Blessed is the Blind**

**By LuckyLadybug**

**Notes: The characters are not mine (except the Fragmented Triangle crew) and this ficlit is. It goes along with **_**Something Wicked This Way Comes**_**, but has been posted separately because it deals with the other characters and how they are reacting to the crime. (Also, so I don't completely bewilder the **_**Phoenix Wright **_**community.) It was partially inspired by the prompt **_**Blessed is the blind, pity is the fool**_** at 31 Days.  
**

* * *

It had been another long day at Jenova Corp. Cloud was downstairs with Zack, making a final check of the bottom floors to ensure all was in order. Angeal was closing down the computers in the hallways. Sephiroth was still at his desk, preparing to leave his work for the evening. His glasses slid down his nose as his fingers flew over the keyboard.

The telephone rang.

He paused, frowning. The secretary had left some time ago. No one should be calling any more now. It was tempting to simply ignore it. But that would be foolish. There was always the chance that it could be something important. Maybe something had even gone wrong back home.

As he lifted the receiver, an obviously disguised voice crackled into his ear, not even waiting for him to say Hello.

"Turn on the news," it announced. "There's something you'll want to hear." Then there was a click. The person had hung up.

Sephiroth dropped the receiver back into its cradle. That in itself was _not_ something he wanted to hear. More than likely, it meant that something was wrong. And there was not a television in the office. That would be most unprofessional. But maybe he could find the answer if he went to the local newspaper's website. Turning back to the computer, he tapped the address into the bar and hit Enter.

The site loaded. The first article was cause for disbelief. Had this been what the caller had referred to? But . . . even if it was, how would they know . . . ? How would they possibly know that Sephiroth would hold a personal interest in this story?!

He clicked the link.

_**Prominent Los Angeles Attorney Mysteriously Shot!**_

_Early this morning, the Domino City Police Department received a telephone call from Los Angeles defense attorney Phoenix Wright. Wright informed them that his longtime rival, prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, had been badly wounded in his hotel room and taken to the nearest hospital with two bullet wounds to his chest. After a thorough search of the room, police suspect a robbery. Several items of varying value are missing._

_Some feel that the robbery is meant to lead the police away from the true motives of the shooter, perhaps a disgruntled relation of someone whom Edgeworth was responsible for convicting. The police will not say whether they are pursuing this angle._

_The hospital staff refuses to disclose Edgeworth's condition to the press. Some are beginning to suspect that he has met his demise, and that in an attempt to draw out the killer, nothing is being said. Others assume exactly the opposite. Wright has refused to comment._

Sephiroth slumped back. Miles Edgeworth had been working for them in secret. Phoenix Wright, who had become friendly with Zack after they had met at a business dinner, had recommended Edgeworth upon hearing of Jenova Corp's desire to prosecute Fragmented Triangle. After discovering several spies from that company in their midst, Sephiroth had found it to be the final straw. He no longer intended to allow Dalton and his allies to figuratively walk all over them. And even though they had not wanted to involve the law enforcement on this planet at all, he and the others had reached a decision---they were going to fight back. Edgeworth had been going over the information Sephiroth had faxed earlier the previous evening, as well as what he had learned upon arriving in Domino.

Why would a robbery happen now? That would be such an odd and unsettling coincidence. It was much more likely that the second option was true . . . or closer to the truth. The call that Sephiroth had received made a third possibility seem the most logical---that someone knew of Edgeworth's beginning investigation and did not want it to occur. Had someone from Fragmented Triangle shot him? Dalton would not be above hiring a mercenary. And he would definitely not want an investigation to happen. Maybe he would hope that by shooting the attorney before anything had really begun, Sephiroth would opt to back off---or at least to realize that those at Fragmented Triangle were not going to sit back and allow themselves to be tried.

Instead it only made him more furious and more determined to win. He would not let Fragmented Triangle manipulate them!

And he was going to learn the truth about Edgeworth's condition. From the article, it had sounded as though Wright might know something. Sephiroth lifted the receiver. He would call and find out. And Wright had better be willing to tell him. In light of the circumstances, he needed to know.

* * *

Dalton was reading the same article. A cruel smirk slipped over his features as he neared the end. He was feeling quite pleased with himself. He leaned back, crossing his arms.

"Azazel did create quite a scene, didn't he?" he mused. "Just as I told him to do."

"He shot and may have killed a most important person. The Goddess can't be pleased with him."

Dalton shrugged, half-turning to look at the winged man leaning against the back wall. "'A most important person'?" he repeated, amused. "Is that to say, Mr. Rhapsodos, that your Goddess would not be just as angry if a peasant had been murdered?"

"She would." Genesis regarded the other with shielded eyes. "But this will be traced back to you eventually. I could even call the police and give them an anonymous tip."

"The way you did when telling Sephiroth?" Dalton smirked.

Genesis did not seem at all bothered by the accusation. "Yes," he said.

"Ah, but you would need some kind of proof," Dalton said. "Neither you or the police have any, nor can you get any."

"The bullet Azazel Rakesh was hit with would be proof enough," Genesis said. "According to the police reports, a bullet fired into the floor came from a different gun than the one used to shoot Miles Edgeworth. That bullet could be traced to the same gun that shot Azazel Rakesh, and Rakesh is in possession of that gun as well as the one that delivered injury to Edgeworth."

"He isn't going to carry the bullet, as von Karma did with his," Dalton said. "I took it out of Azazel's shoulder myself." He smirked. "But I won't tell you what happened to it."

"I wouldn't expect to be told."

"And I don't expect you will tell the police," Dalton smiled.

"Is there a reason for that?" Genesis asked.

Dalton nodded. "You want to give Sephiroth the chance to fight me himself," he said. "You're only watching over him, not manipulating every aspect of his life to give him success." He smirked. "I actually find it rather admirable, in some way. Some would be so overly eager to help, especially in your position of longing to make amends, that they would suffocate the person they wanted to aid. Kill them with kindness, if you will."

Genesis shrugged. "Sephiroth is his own person. He is wise enough to find the way to defeat you on his own. I am only along for the ride."

"We'll see how wise he is," Dalton said. "There is an expression I've heard lately. Now it makes me think of our little discussion. 'Blessed is the blind, pity is the fool.'"

"Very interesting," Genesis mused. "To be ignorant is not always to be an imbecile."

Then he smirked. "And to be knowledgeable is not always to be wise," he added, giving Dalton a pointed look.

"Oh? Are you insinuating something, Mr. Rhapsodos?"

"Blessed is the blind," smiled Genesis.

Dalton was only further amused. "Oh, I see. Well, there is another usage for the phrase that I've found as well." He leaned forward, tapping the tips of his fingers together. "This shooting is a warning to not only Sephiroth, but to all who try to bring us down. If they turn a blind eye, they won't be killed. If they're foolish enough to try stopping us, they will die." He shrugged in an offhand way.

"You believe Miles Edgeworth is dead, then?" Genesis studied his enemy.

"Azazel was very sure," Dalton said. "He hit him point-blank in the chest, twice."

"But he was still alive when Rakesh left," Genesis mused. "Anything could have happened." He pushed himself away from the wall. "Most likely, this is one time when you would rather not be among the blind."

"If he's still alive, he will die," Dalton shrugged.

"If he is still alive, that is most likely why nothing has been said," Genesis answered.

"Touché," Dalton smiled.


End file.
